Celtics coach uses trampoline to show off dunking skills

BOSTON (AP) The Boston Celtics got an impressive dunk on Sunday - from their coach.

Brad Stevens was shagging rebounds for his 10-year-old son Brady following a workout at the team facility when he noticed some trampolines set up on the side of the court. The equipment is normally used by Celtics mascot ''Lucky'' to entertain the TD Garden crowd.

What followed next will live in Internet lore for some time.

''I thought that would be fun. So I asked `Lucky' how to do it,'' the 39-year-old Stevens said before Monday's game against Utah. ''I did ask that nobody tape it. But, obviously that got lost in translation. It's proof I need to communicate a little bit better.''

In a video posted on the mascot's Instagram account, Stevens can be seen running from one end of the court, hopping on the trampoline set up just in front of the free-throw line, and executing a one-handed dunk.

After he landed, he turned and reached to high-five his approaching son, who instead embraced his father with a big hug around his waist.

''Hey, it went in,'' Stevens said, when asked to assess his execution. ''Brady would give me a '10,' so I'm in. A dunk for me is pretty unusual. So I enjoyed it. It was fun.''

Stevens said he felt lucky that his first few tries weren't posted online ''because it wasn't quite as pretty.''

Dunking was not a regular thing for Stevens during his playing career, which culminated at Division III DePauw University.

''Did I ever dunk for real? Not with - no,'' the third-year NBA coach said. ''Everybody's that's played says they've dunked, and they have at some point. But it's with a flat ball, and a 9-foot-5 rim. I've done that.''